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SMU Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof O Ayo-Yusuf Appointed to serve on the PSET Covid-19 Task Team

SMU Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof O Ayo-Yusuf Appointed to serve on the PSET Covid-19 Task Team

by | Mar 30, 2020 | Accolades and Achievements, SMU Media

South Africa, like the rest of the world, is affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic crisis, having registered the first case on 5th March 2020.

 

Following the Cabinet meeting on 15th March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the national state of disaster, and announced measures that were intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Therefore on Tuesday, 17th March 2020, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr BE Nzimande and the Deputy Minister, Mr Buti Manamela, met with various stakeholders in the Post-School Education and Training sector to discuss necessary measures to be taken within the sector to curb the spread of the coronavirus and among others, the meeting with stakeholders agreed on the establishment of the PSET Task Team on Covid-19 that will guide the response of the PSET sector to the development of the pandemic and its implications for the sector and its role in society.

 

We are honored and grateful that our Acting Vice Chancellor – Professor O Ayo-Yusuf has been appointed to serve on the Ministerial task team. His enormous experience in the Higher Education Sector and expertise in public health will assist in guiding/advising the task team to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

 

The Task Team shall, monitor the developments of the coronavirus pandemic, make continuous assessment and analysis of the available evidence to guide the decisions that affect the PSET sector and any adaptations required for policy-making; synthesize, collate and process research conducted by various agencies, institutions and individuals on relevant aspects of the pandemic to aid policy making and societal intervention; Identify cross-sectoral innovations, models, resources and expertise from within the PSET sector that could be mobilized and geared at various stages in the national effort to fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus and manage its effects on communities; Make appropriate recommendations on the policy and strategy for consideration by the Minister; And with prior agreement of the Minister, make appropriate information available to the institutions in the sector to guide the decisions that may need to be made at various levels of the PSET governance structures.

 

Let us work together and take measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus in our beautiful country.

 

Issued by Marketing and Communication

Download: 2020-03-30-Prof-Ayo-Yusuf-appointment

Human Rights Day 2020 – Message from the Acting Vice-Chancellor

Human Rights Day 2020 – Message from the Acting Vice-Chancellor

by | Mar 21, 2020 | SMU Media

Human Rights Day in South Africa is historically linked with 21 March 1960, and the events of Sharpeville. On that day 69 people died and 180 were wounded when police opened fire on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the Pass laws that denied people of their right to freedom of movement. This day marked an affirmation by ordinary people, rising in unison to proclaim their rights. It became an iconic date in South Africa’s history that today we commemorate as Human Rights Day as a reminder of our rights and the cost paid for our treasured human rights.

 

The anniversaries of these painful events from our past are a reminder that many paid the ultimate price for us to live in a society governed by human rights and dignity for all. Since 1994, government commemorates these painful chapters of our past to unify South Africans and affirm our human rights culture. It is an affirmation that the dark deeds of our past will never be repeated again in a democratic society.

 

All people young and old are entitled to social, civil, political and economic rights; regardless of their gender, religion, race, ethnicity or any other condition.

 

With a view to developing a consensus position for the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), our institution strives to ensure that the rights of students, staff and other stakeholders are respected. We continue to combat racial discrimination, xenophobia, homophobia, gender-based violence, sexual harassment and unfair discrimination, which all undermines fundamental human rights.

 

As SMU let us continue to commemorate Human Rights under the 2020 theme, “the year of unity, socio-economic renewal and nation-building”. In particular, as Health Sciences University, let us work together to ensure that we act collectively to protect the right to life, especially at moments like this when we are called upon by government to be socially responsible in order to reduce the transmission of Coronavirus. Let us act by adhering to public health calls for social distancing and self-isolation, which may seem to limit our individual rights to freedom of movement, but justified for the common good of all. It is time to practice humanity by showing kindness, compassion, gentility and patience with others.

 

On this significant day, I call on SMU community to reaffirm our commitment to working together in supporting the development of an institutional culture founded upon the recognition and protection of the fundamental human rights, regardless of who is involved.

 

Kind regards,
Professor O Ayo-Yusuf
Acting- Vice Chancellor

 

Download: Human-Rights-Day-2020